Recycling waste cooking oil for biofuel: Following successful pilot, Cary continues residential curbside collection program

Last December, we launched our Residential Cooking Oil Curbside Collection pilot program as a more convenient and greener way for you to safely dispose of your used cooking oil and grease.

Thanks to your great response, we’re continuing the program that turns waste cooking oil collected at the curb into an environmentally friendly and beneficial biofuel.

To join in this recycling initiative, simply place your cooled cooling oil/grease in a sealable food container (no glass, please) such as the original container, a coffee can, or a soda bottle.

Next, label the container “Waste Cooking Oil” using a marker and secure the cap or lid.

When you’ve saved at least a half gallon of cooking oil, call the Public Works and Utilities Department at 469-4090 to schedule a pickup. Place the waste cooking oil at the curb by 7 a.m. on your scheduled day.

To ensure proper recycling, oil and grease that is left at the curb on your regular collection day without scheduling a pickup will not be collected. Instead, we’ll tag the container with a note to call the Public Works and Utilities Department.

For more information, visit the Fats, Oils and Grease section of www.townofcary.org.

New features, old favorites set for Lazy Daze festival

The tradition continues as one of North Carolina ’s premier arts and crafts festivals marks its 33rd year!

Come enjoy a fun day in downtown Cary on Saturday, August 22 as we host our annual Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival. Beginning at 9 a.m. , we’re serving up all your festival favorites – art, food, and two huge stages with entertainment all day.

This year, be sure to bring the kids to Lazy Daze’s first Safety Town for demonstrations and hands-on training.

Also making its Lazy Daze debut is our Friends of the Festivals program. Find out how your support of Cary ’s festivals can help non-profit organizations in our community.

For more on Lazy Daze, visit www.townofcary.org.

Cary, NCCVE partner for candidate forum

Cary voters will elect three Town Council members on Oct. 6: District A, District C and one At-Large seat.

To help you learn more about the candidates, we’re once again hosting the Cary Community Candidate Forum. The NC Center for Voter Education has been tapped to manage the 2009 forum.

The forum will include discussion on a wide variety of topics of interest to Cary voters. Candidates for Cary council and Wake County School Board seats that represent Cary will be invited to participate.

We’ll tape the forum on September 15 before a live audience and then air it daily on Cary TV 11 from September 18-October 5. It will also be available on our Web site.

Drip irrigation allowed daily

We’ve made some changes to our Water Conservation program to give you more options for water-efficient irrigation.

Drip irrigation now joins hand watering as an exception to the Alternate Day Watering ordinance. Use these methods to irrigate any day of the week, as needed.

And to provide you more flexibility for establishing a new lawn, we’ve increased our Alternate Day Watering exception permit from 21 days to 45 days.

For more on Water Conservation, visit www.townofcary.org.

Bud Bits

• Our award-winning Koka Booth Amphitheatre has great performances lined up all summer. August brings Soul Picnic, O.A.R. and more. For details, visit www.boothamphitheatre.com.

• Our Water Waste Ordinance has changed to prohibit not only the overwatering of your landscape, but other flagrant wastes of water such as water system leaks, breaks or open hoses. For more, visit www.townofcary.org.

Meet district officers at National Night Out

We’re celebrating the 26th Annual National Night Out observance on Aug. 4 by launching our new geographical policing effort.

Cary has been divided into three districts: District 1, central and northern Cary ; District 2, western Cary; and District 3, southern and eastern Cary.

With GeoPolicing, our Police Department will be able to focus in on the unique characteristics of your district, and you’ll get to know the officers responsible for your area.

Meet your district’s command staff on Aug. 4 from 6:30-9 p.m. :

- District 1: Town of Cary Police Department, 120 Wilkinson Ave. ,
- District 2: High House Crossing in front of Harris Teeter, 2741 NC Hwy 55 West
- District 3: Crossroads Shopping Center between Best Buy and The EyeCare Center , 237 Crossroads Blvd

In addition to the meet and greet with police officers, there will also be emergency vehicles on display and other attractions for all ages to enjoy.

Police officers will also stop by neighborhood block parties if invited. Contact Police Officer Brian Austin at 469-4324 to arrange a visit.

For more information on National Night Out or GeoPolicing, visit www.townofcary.org.

Town Hall home to 2009 outdoor sculpture exhibit

We’re proud to announce that once again we’ll be displaying wonderful sculptures created by local artists on our campus at Town Hall.

The opening of Cary Visual Art’s 2009 Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition will take place on August 14.

Juror Linda Dougherty, Chief Curator of the North Carolina Museum of Art, selected 10 artists for the show, which will be displayed through June 25, 2010 .

A $5,000 prize for Best in Show will be awarded to one of the artists. The winner will be announced at Cary’s Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival on August 22, 2009 .

For more information, visit www.caryvisualart.org.

Intersection changes ahead

We’re looking at ways to improve the intersection of Cary Parkway and High House Road .

Join us for a public meeting to review alternatives to the intersection on August 4 at Cary Senior Center from 5-8 p.m.

We’ll have a presentation on current traffic operations at the intersection, share the results of our traffic study, and present our recommended design.

View draft design standards

Help us review the first draft of our new Site Design Standards on Tuesday, July 28, from 6-8 p.m. at the Page-Walker Arts and History Center . Part of our Site Design Standards project, we’re working to improve our standards for development that yield vibrant, pedestrian-friendly, well-designed spaces.

Your feedback is essential to meeting this goal. For details, visit www.townofcary.org.

Keep easements clear

We routinely clear utility easements to prevent tree root penetration into sewer lines, which causes blockages and overflows.

While we notify property owners in advance, we ask that you keep easements clear all the time.

Protect our waterways

Help us protect your health and our waterways by remembering to never place anything in a storm drain.

Storm drains flow directly to our streams and lakes.

Always dispose of trash, oil, yard waste, and pet waste properly and clean up spills. For more information, call 469-4038.

Cultural Connection

• Movies by Moonlight: July 30, Blades of Glory; Aug. 6, Mama Mia; Aug. 13, Tale of Desperaux, 7 p.m. at Koka Booth Amphitheatre. For informatiion, visit boothamphitheatre.com.

• Cary Art Loop, July 31, 6 p.m. at various locations. For details, visit www.caryartloop.org.

• Page-Walker Starlight Concert Series - Jamrock, July 31; Brazilian Soul, Aug 7, 7:30 p.m., in the Page-Walker Arts & History Center garden. Free. For information, call 460-4963.

• Cary Youth Video Project Premiere, Aug. 8, 7 p.m. at Council Chambers. Free. For information, call 460-4963.

• 5th Annual Ritmo Latino Festival, Aug. 9, 1 p.m. at Bond Park. Free. For information, visit www.diamanteinc.org.

Exhibits

• Yuko Taylor, Seasons of Orient. Cary Senior Center , July 20-Aug. 14. Artist Reception: July 31, 6-8 p.m.

• Daniel Vaughan: An Artist Journal. Herb Young Community Center , July 28-Sept. 21. Artist Reception: July 31, 6-8 p.m.

• Constance Pappalardo: Escape Artist. Town Hall Gallery, July 28-Sept. 21. Artist Reception: July 31, 6-8 p.m.

• Don Hamilton: Abstracts from the Heart. Jordan Hall Arts Center , Aug. 4-31. Artist Reception: Aug. 28, 6-8 p.m.

For more Concerts and Events, visit www.townofcary.org.